Small Business Relief Fund

The LA Region Small Business Relief Fund is a newly launched initiative by the County and City of Los Angeles, along with various partners, to provide financial assistance to small businesses and nonprofits impacted by recent windstorms and wildfires. The program is designed to offer cash grants ranging from $2,000 to $25,000 to eligible businesses and nonprofits that have suffered financial losses due to the disaster. The level of assistance granted will depend on the severity of the impact, including physical destruction or loss of revenue. The primary purpose of this relief fund is to help affected businesses and nonprofits recover and sustain operations following the disaster. The program prioritizes businesses with physical damage, especially those that were fully destroyed, followed by those that were partially damaged or faced revenue loss. The relief fund aims to support small businesses, independent contractors, and nonprofits serving low-to-moderate-income communities. Funding is available for both brick-and-mortar businesses and home-based businesses or independent contractors. Brick-and-mortar businesses or nonprofits operating from a commercial space can qualify for up to $25,000 if their location was fully destroyed, $20,000 for partial destruction, and $15,000 for loss of revenue only. Home-based businesses and independent contractors can qualify for up to $5,000 for revenue loss and equipment/inventory damage and $2,000 for loss of revenue only. Eligible applicants must demonstrate financial impact from the windstorm and wildfires that began on January 7, 2025. Businesses must be headquartered within Los Angeles County and operate in at least one of the following areas: a Fire Zone, an Evacuation Order Level 3 Zone, or an Evacuation Warning Level 2 Zone. Additionally, eligible businesses must have no more than 100 employees and an average annual gross revenue of $6 million or less. Nonprofit organizations must be social service providers with a valid 501(c)(3), 501(c)(6), or 501(c)(19) designation, serving low-to-moderate-income communities, and have annual gross revenue of $6 million or less. Applicants must be independently owned businesses or nonprofits that provide services or sell products. The business owner must be the majority owner and primary operator of the business, and applicants for nonprofit grants must be an Executive Officer or President. Businesses must be active and in good standing with local, state, and federal regulatory authorities, and they must plan to continue or reopen their business in Los Angeles County. Applications for the grant program open on February 6, 2025, at 8:00 AM and close on February 24, 2025, at 5:00 PM. The amount of funding awarded is subject to change depending on demand and available funds. The program aims to assist businesses and nonprofits in maintaining financial stability and ensuring long-term recovery from disaster-related damages.